Poison & Wine

-Prologue-

The Dragons Call

"The Scaffold" A thin finger ran across the parchment, moving only as the printed words left her mouth.

"A platform used in the execution of condemned prisoners."

Across the room, a woman leaned out against the open window ledge; craning her neck towards the soft voice that grabbed her attention. "Elaine, that's enough of that, now's not the time."

Elaine looked up momentarily, before glancing back down to the thick book in her lap. "When is the correct time, Morgana?" She placed a delicate finger on the upper corner of the page and flipped it to the next, continuing with her reading. "To Condemn"

Morgana turned her head back to the scene below her, "This isn't right….Poor Tom."

"To pronounce judgment against."

The sympathy held in her eyes matched only the anger that she dared not let out, "He did nothing wrong, you know."

The loud clap of a book shutting was the only response offered.

"Why can Uther not see that?"

Morgana heard the soft footsteps approaching her from behind and soon felt the comforting arms that she so needed wrap around her. This was a feeling that only a sister could create. One who knew her every thought and her every action she took before she took it. Such a strong bond could not be broken so easily, "I do not know Morgana."

Morgana gripped her sister tight, bringing her closer, "I shall never understand this, Elaine. I will never approve of his ways"

Moving so she stood next Morgana, Elaine looked to where her sister had been watching moments before. A crowd had started to form in the courtyard, and the steady beat of a drum had only just started. "He is a King; it is his duty to judge what is right in his realm. And we cannot stop it"

A man in tan scraps of clothing was brought out into the open by two guards. They moved towards the wooden stage, forcing some of the crowd of people to move back slightly, and next to the scaffold that sat upon it. Above this mess stood His Majesty, Uther Pendragon. He waited until the hushed objections were finished before he addressed his people, "Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is judged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And, pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery there is but one sentence I can pass."

By now Thomas Collin had been forced to his knees. Though bravely, it was he how placed his neck on the wooden block, trying to have some composure over the situation. Elaine needed only to take one look at her sister to know this was not something she needed to witness. Tom had been kind man to them both in their first few years in Camelot; always making sure they had their pick of his mother's gardens and bringing them a basket of flowers as soon as they started to bloom. It had been many years since either of them had spoken to Tom, though.

"You do not wish to see this, turn away"

Uther raised his arm high as the axmen followed his lead, "Morgana" Elaine repeated more forcibly, "Turn Away" She grabbed on to Morgana's shoulders and forced her further into the room. She moved forward again to shut the window, only to see for herself what she had tried to prevent her sister from seeing. Somehow her feet stop moving, her body frozen in place.

"When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help magic was driven from the realm." Uther glanced to his side, seeing the shocked face of a woman looking down upon the scene before them, not bother to even move the dark hair from her eyes, "So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin."

A load wail screamed out from the courtyard, forcing the attention of everyone in the area. There stood an elderly woman, clenching her brown tattered robes, "There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic!" Her voice cracked, as Uther stepped closer to the edge of the balcony.

"It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance! You killed my son! But I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son."

"Seize Her!"

Before the guards had a chance to even get near her, the woman was gone in a tornado of wind and smoke. The surrounding patrons had stepped back, stunned by what had just occurred.

Elaine finally moved away from the window, latching it closed. When she turned around she found Morgana staring at her from a few feet away, "A kings duty is to judge"

Eyes set towards the door and wanting only to put this all behind her, Elaine moved past Morgana, promptly ignoring her statement, "I'm going to see Uther, see if I'm still to go to Cornwall."

"What does it mean to judge?" Morgana asked quietly. She held the book Elaine had been reading prior and pressed it against her chest.

Not bothering to halt her steps, Elaine answered her sister bluntly, "To pass sentence on; condemn"

With that the door was closed and Morgana was left alone to her thoughts.

-X-x-X-x-X-x-X-x-

"I want this woman found, at all costs!"

Uther Pendragon still couldn't fathom why this woman had acted so extremely towards him, and his son. Of course what else would you expect of a sorcerer, when any other person could see the logic behind his actions and understand why they were necessary. Magic was forbidden. That would not change and those who chose to ignore the laws did so at their own risk.

The group of knights that stood before him, shifted slightly, ready to do their sovereigns bidding, "Sire!" Without any hesitation they quickly emptied the room, leaving Uther alone with his son and eldest ward, "The both of you may leave. Arthur, keep yourself put until this sorcerer is found"

Prince Arthur raised his eyebrows, looking slightly offended at being dismissed so swiftly, "I hardly think this woman is such a threat"

"Anyone who practices magic is dangerous Arthur, no matter their appearance."

"But you don't really expect me to be put under lock and key until this is over, do you?"

Uther looked back at his son, "I expect you to do as I tell you; it's not safe."

Elaine took this moment to step in between the two royals and halt their conversation for the time being, "My Lord I wish to speak about my visit to Cornwall…"

Uther turned his eyes from his son, to look directly at the woman before him, "Do you really think it would be wise to make this journey now, Elaine? After the threat this woman has made against us?"

"My Lord, I would like to point out that it was not I that that threat was directed at…."

The prince snorted behind her, as she attempted to make her argument for being allowed out of the city.

"And since everything is already prepared for the travels we could leave within the hour, and be gone before anyone thinks otherwise,"

The King nodded, but his expression did not change, "I still think it's too dangerous for you to travel that far west alone."

"But Sire, I will not be alone. My maid will be accompanying me along with Sir Leon and if you would permit it, a small company of knights as well. They would sacrifice their lives if it was to protect me my Lord, although I truly do not think they will need to."

Seeing the King was still unconvinced, Elaine continued her small speech, "We would take no longer then five days, a week at most. I only wish to travel to the border and from there I can get word from the coast and report my findings back to you."

A breath past between them, then two, then three, before Uther finally spoke up, "I will allow it."

Arthur moved his arms up in exasperation, "Father!"

"Elaine has made her point, and will be accompanied by five of Camelot's knights to Cornwall. Whether you find it unfair is not my concern. You will stay within these walls until the witch has been found and I will hear no more of it"

"But that's not-" fair

Arthur pursed his lips, sending both his father and friend a tight smile. He turned his back to them and took several large steps towards the doors, "I will not leave Camelot father. Elaine, enjoy freedom for me would you?"

He turned slightly to catch Uther's eye, "And no hunts, I promise"

-X-

Author's Note:

So there, I have no more excuses for not getting this out there. Its here, its started, It will be updated on a bi-weekly bases. However I'm going to make sure I get the first chapter up before the end of the week.

Why Bi-Weekly? Because I'm taking a page out of theELFandWITCH's (www fanfiction net/u/2435846/) book and will be making each chapter the length of an entire episode. Yeah, that's a lot of content...

So make sure you get this on your story alert list, and check your email every other Tuesday for a new chapter. Please take the time to review and critique! Id love to hear everyone's thoughts